Spooky Scary Skeletons
by PurdyBaby
Summary: Amidst mysterious disappearances across Tokyo, Kagome manages to get Inuyasha to agree to escort her to a Halloween party. Will they finally admit their feelings before this new villian manages to snatch them too? COMPLETE!
1. Chapter 1 of Spooky Scary Skeletons

**A/N: Story Four! "Spooky Scary Skeletons" - Andrew Gold**

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"No, _no_ , **_no_**! In my time it's _just_ a holiday where people dress up and you get candy and go to haunted houses!" Kagome huffed in frustration as she failed miserably to describe the very commercialized monstrosity that was now Halloween. In hindsight she really shouldn't have explained the history before she got to the good part.

Well _shit_ Kagome! You _literally_ just said it's a holiday about dead people and witches and crap! Now you're making it seem _stupid_ ," Inuyasha snapped, hating the feeling that once again something in her era made no freaking sense, "I mean, make up your damn mind!"

"Forget what I said earlier and listen to me _now_ ," Kagome snapped back, " _All_ that this holiday entails is costumes, candy, and being scared for fun!"

"So what you're saying is being sacred does it for you?" Inuyasha snidely responded, trying secretly to get his kicks when her cheeks flushed bright red and her eyes flashed dangerously. _Oh_ , that level of passion - positive or not - directed _only_ at him was something he'd crave until he was dead in the ground. Finally someone wasn't afraid to call him out on his bullshit, wasn't afraid he'd maim them if they pissed him off, someone who honestly thought he was just like anyone else...speaking of which...

"I was gunna invite you to a party with me but _never_ _mind_!" Kagome bellowed back angrily as she stood to head back towards the well as the others merely shook their heads and mouthed the word they knew was coming with knowing smirks on their faces.

" ** _SIT_**!"

As Inuyasha crashed to the ground, two thoughts crossed through his mind. One - okay, he deserved that one. Two - hold up, she was going to invite him to...to...

Prying his face out of the dirt- by force of will alone - he managed to lift himself up enough to ask her to repeat herself - incredulity written all over his face.

"I _said_ I was gunna invite you to come to a party with me _but_ if you're just..." Kagome clipped back angrily - missing the vulnerable look that flitted across his face and his sharp intake of breath through the pure rage and hurt coursing through her veins.

"You want _me_ to escort you to a party?" he asked quietly, all hostility in his voice replaced with a child-like sense of wonder until he grimaced at how sad and pathetic that sounded. To save face, he quickly and foolishly followed up his question with a snide, "Why would I want to do _that_?!"

" _Hell_ if I know," Kagome snapped exasperatedly as the hanyou stood and began advancing towards her, "I don't _want_ you to anymore if you're gunna..."

" _What?!_ So you're just gunna ask _another_ guy now?" Inuyasha snapped back angrily - jealousy coursing through his veins, "Over my dead body! If anyone is gunna escort you it's me!"

It took an awkwardly long time in which his amber eyes slowly widened in realization at what he'd said--his ears pinning back on his head as Kagome merely stared at him with shock and indignation that slowly faded to anger.

" _ **LIKE YOU HAVE ANY SAY IN IT**_!" she bellowed back angrily, "If I _want_ another guy to bring me, you've got _no_ right to tell me I can't! You don't own me!"

"LIKE **_HELL_** I DONT HAVE THE RIGHT! You're not...you need...don't you...If I..." Inuyasha spluttered a little less heatedly before finishing lamely with false bravado, "Well tough shit! The _only_ way I'm letting you go is if _I'm_ the one who escorts you."

"What did I _just_ say?!" Kagome hissed, "Why would I drag you to a party you clearly don't want to go to?!"

"Well maybe I _want_ to go!" Inuyasha barked back before adding with increased volume and frustration, " ** _DON'T YOU WANT ME TO ESCORT YOU?_**!"

" ** _YES YOU BIG IDIOT_**!" Kagome bellowed right back, " ** _DO YOU ACTUALLY WANT TO GO?_!**"

" ** _YEAH I DO!_** " Inuyasha spat back acidly.

" ** _FINE THEN! COME ON! THIS SHOULD BE FUN,"_** Kagome damn near screamed as she clenched her hands into tight fists.

For a moment, the others merely watched the strange standoff with amused grins until a snort escaped them when the two blanched at the realization of what had just occurred as though the words had flown out of their mouths by their own accord without passing through the normal checkpoints from the brain to their lips. Each flushing their own unique shade of crimson the hanyou and miko hurriedly composed themselves just in time for the other members of the Inutaichi to loose their composure to a bout of uncontrollable laughter.


	2. Chapter 2 of Spooky Scary Skeletons

_Spooky scary skeletons_

 _Send shivers down your spine_

 _Shrieking skulls will shock your soul_

 _Seal your doom tonight_

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As Inuyasha jumped through the well, the first thing that registered in his mind was the smell of the raw meat from... _gourds_ maybe?... drifting through the courtyard. Making his way to side of the kitchen window , he stealthily glanced inside and the corners of his lips twitched upwards at the sight of numerous piles of entrails from some type of squash laying out on spread newspapers. Handfuls of white seeds in their network of viscous threads lay strewn across the scene of some grotesque and radical form of mutilation. A gaggle of little boys crouching crouched over the orange heads with beginnings of poorly carved faces with spoons and paring knives in their small hands like the little mad witch doctors they were.

"Hey, why don't you head upstairs the usual way and go grab..." Kagome whispered in his ear before an ear splitting shriek of joy suddenly came from inside.

" ** _SIS_**! **_INUYASHA_**!" Sota cried out excitedly, jumping down from the kitchen table and rushing out of the kitchen door- his own creation forgotten for the moment as well as the fact that Inuyasha's ears were on full display, "Guys! Guys! This is that dude I was telling you about!"

"Sota! _No_!" Kagome screeched a second too late as all the boys rushed out to look up at the hero of their friend.

 _"Whoa, what a cool costume!"_

 _"Who are you supposed to be?!"_

 _"Are you going to a party tonight?!"_

 _"Wow! Those ears are badass! Where'd you get them?!"_

 _"Is that a sword?! Is it real?!"_

Amber eyes widened in panic as Inuyasha began to back away from the encroaching horde of small boys like a frightened animal. Throwing the occasional ' _bitch aren't you going to do something, you clearly see I'm not comfortable here_ ' glance at the madly giggling Kagome, it was none other than Ms. Higurashi that came to his rescue.

"Oh hello Inuyasha! Boys, the pumpkin seeds just came out of the oven!" the elder Higuarshi woman announced, moving aside for the stampede of little boys to rush back inside as she sent Inuyasha a playful wink. Huffing in relief, the hanyou sent the grinning miko a half-hearted glare before smirking himself. Never before had a group- well hell _anybody_ for that matter - had acted like his ears were something other than a mark of a lower nature. It was a costume - well obviously not but still - nothing more or less. He could walk around without that damn hat and people wouldn't run away in fear! Maybe this wasn't going to be as god awful as he'd feared. Okay, that was a lie he was hoping that this whole misadventure would actually give him and Kagome some time alone. Truly alone time. Like to...talk about feelings and shit. It was about damn time he grew some balls and just did it anyway. Wasn't like there was much of a choice anymore. That latest fight had scared him more than he'd like to admit. Did Kagome _not_ realize he'd claimed her? He'd thought his feelings were pretty obvious at this point! Wasn't like he almost died for just anybody or carried them around or...or other stuff...

She knew, right? _Right_?! Just because he hadn't...hadn't…okay, so…damn, he _hadn't_ been that nice to her lately and in the past, he _did_ call her ugly and compare her to Kikyo and...and well _shit_.

Did she _really_ want another guy? That might be the case _except_ she really wanted _him_ to go with her...although it might be just as friend...and...well fuck man! And _just_ after Kikyo had just given him her blessing to go do whatever the hell he wanted! **_Fuck_**! So maybe...just _maybe_ he'd need to get his shit together and get up the nerve to tell her before it was too late - please whatever mercifully beings were up there make her still feel the same - and then, _oh and then_...

Noticing the vacant look suddenly in Inuyasha's eyes as a dopey grin settled over his face, Kagome snorted as she waved a hand in front of his face.

"Earth to Inuyasha," she asked in a falsely urgent, theatrical way, "You still reading me? I think we've lost contact men. There seems to be no sign of intelligent life anywhere."

Snappily himself out of his self-inflicted fantasies at the tail end of her little speech, he flushed a deep crimson as he grabbed her hand and led her forcefully up the stairs. _Later_. Yeah, he'd tell her later.

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"We really shouldn't be in here," the ebony haired girl hissed as she clung closer to her boyfriend who merely snorted, "Don't laugh at me! The government closed this to the public for a reason!"

The laboratory was as quiet and cold as a morgue. Even the great machines lay silent. A thin film of dust lay on everything. Personal effects of the scientists had been left carelessly lying around, like they'd left in a hurry and somehow not thought to take their coffee or bags. It was eerie and everything about it screamed to the girl they needed to haul ass and leave.

A sudden whirling noise erupted from behind them making the girl scream bloody murder and the boy merely laugh at her reaction.

"Oh my _god_ , your _face_!" the teenage boy cackled before taking her hand and leading her towards the sound, "Oh come on, I'm sure it's just some old machine that accidentally got turned on when we flicked that switch earlier."

The girl looked entirely unconvinced as the boy pulled her along. Up ahead lights flickered in one observation room, the eerie shadows it cast making even the boy falter in his steps. Slowly approaching a glass panel set in the wall, they looked through it into a darkened room where - -much to their surprise- they saw a long grey haired figure sitting in front of a bizarre, complicated machine that seemed to be sorting hundreds of test tubes, rotating them, counting them, labeling them, and finally delivering them into it's glove covered hands.

At their sharp intake of breath, the creature's head whipped around exposing a fleshless façade. The skeleton looked fresh. In some places there was a pink sheen where flesh had been newly and inexpertly removed. There were tool marks gauged into recently living bone and a round hole in the skull but those eyes….

As that unholy crimson gaze met theirs, the two unwitting spectators screamed and turned tail to run but…they didn't get very far.


	3. Chapter 3 of Spooky Scary Skeletons

_Spooky scary skeletons_

 _Speakwith such a screech_

 _You'll shake and shudder in surprise_

 _When you hear these zombies shriek_

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" _The disappearance of Masaharu Fukuyama and Maki Horikita are only the latest in a long string of such incidents in the past week..."_ the news anchors urgent sounding voice buzzed from the television in background, " _Residents are urged..._ "

"Alright, Mama! We're going to the mall real quick to get costumes!" Kagome squealed excitedly as she rushed to get her purse. Much to her surprise and extreme joy Inuyasha - the surly hanyou who would live and die in that firerat if he got his way - had _voluntarily_ offered to get a costume. Okay, _so_ his idea of a costume was wearing clothes from her era including - wait for it- **_shoes_** but still, that was way more than she had expected so she wasn't going to waste a single second in which he might change his mind.

"Do you want me to go with you?" Ms. Higurashi asked in a tone with no lack of concern, "There's been reports on the news..."

" _ **Oi**_! I can protect her just _fine_ ," Inuyasha cut her off in a miffed sounding tone, "I won't let _anything_ happen to her."

"Of course," Ms. Higuarshi murmured quietly, "I just...the reports and...no, no, of course you can protect her. But…uh, here. Take my cell phone… just in case."

Wanting instantly to crawl under a rock and die from insulting Kagome's mother, Inuyasha sucked up his pride and in a tone of greatest respect - in _his_ mind anyway - apologized for losing his temper, promising in a much less heated tone to return her daughter home safely, inquiring gently whether she wanted to go - to which she reassured him of her confidence in him - and asking how for a quick lesson on how to use the phone...as Kagome nearly passed out in shock and Ms. Higuarshi smirked inwardly realizing the significance of such a gesture that her daughter clearly missed.

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Three girls stared up at the small home with its peeling paint and generally abandoned look. It didn't look as though it had been built in the same era as anything else around and the left wall was shorter than the right. Some joker had seen fit to paint it black at some point - possibly to make it more modern looking - but for the most part the paint was peeling as if a blow torch had been over it.

"Oh, Eri! It's _perfect_!" Yuka squealed excitedly, clapping her hands together merrily, "You _sure_ your uncle said we could use it?!"

"Yeah, apparently its being torn down in a few weeks so we can do whatever we want with it," Eri responded, "I figure we stick to the first floor since I don't want to vouch for the staircase."

"Whose house was this?" Ayumi asked quietly, shivering slightly as they made their way inside, "I mean, it is very good for a haunted house and party but it's strange it's been abandoned so long."

"Some old bitty left it to my uncle because he was her nurse and was nice to her or something," Eri sighed dismissively, "apparently it belonged to her son who died and she didn't have any other kids."

"How sad..." Ayumi sighed mournfully, stopping to look at a few family photos still left on the wall, "To die all alone in the world."

"Yeah well, that's _life_ ," Eri shrugged nonchalantly to which her Ayumi gaped at her indignantly. Huffing and rolling her eyes at her friend's reaction, Eri turned back to the old home, " _Anyway_ we gotta get this cleaned up so call up the team. We gotta make this _lit_ by tomorrow night."

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"Why don't you look around and let me know if you see anything you like," Kagome cooed happily as she led an overwhelmed Inuyasha into one of the stores, "I'm going to go look at costumes."

"Can't _you_ just pick something out," Inuyasha asked wearily, "I don't even know what people wear in this time. I'll pick something _stupid_."

Grinning at him, Kagome looked as though he had given her the moon on a platter as she readily agreed and grabbed his hand as she led him through the aisles, picking up item after item before pushing the pile into his arms and leading him to an aptly named fitting room.

"If you need any help, just let me know," she breathed happily as she plopped down on a seat and bounced. Okay, so she may have picked out clothes that she'd fantasized him wearing but he didn't know that and she didn't think it was anything that ridiculous. Her friends did think of him as a bad boy anyway - which always cracked her up seeing as he looked like he was permanently in cosplay - so wearing edgy clothes wasn't that far off right? Right.

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Inuyasha frowned and fidgeted anxiously as he looked at himself in the mirror. He'd avoided most of what she picked out because he couldn't figure out what the hell was plastered on it or didn't know how to even put it on. As he looked down at himself one thought echoed in his mind.

Is this ...was this _really_ what guys wore in her era?

It seemed really... _tight_...for lack of a better term. Sure, people didn't fight all the time anymore but _still_...he felt...well down right naked and exposed after living his whole life in billowing robes. The shirt's color wasn't that bad. He'd never considered wearing black before and _yeah_ the blue color of the pants wasn't _terrible_ but... _red_ was definitely his color and damn, he looked so...so _skinny._

Taking a step back, he glanced up at his face for a moment and fell into the trap so many of us have found ourselves in when presented with a full size mirror in an overly bright stall that crooned a soft yet silent _let's play a game_. A game the world's most unflattering lighting and our own general insecurities from trying on new clothes liked to call ' _dear god is that what I really look like_ '. It is a little acknowledged fact that you never feel more unattractive than in a dressing room. It's a sales gimmick to be sure because the second you try one something that doesn't make you look like ass in that light, you bet your buns you're gunna buy it to boost your confidence because _damn_ son, if it looked good in there it's got to look better in actual sunlight.

Walking up to the mirror, he stared at his face for a moment and grimaced at the small imperfections he'd never even realized he possessed. There were small circles under his eyes, a light dusting of freckles across the bridge of his nose, dozens of very faint nearly invisible scars littered his cheeks, one of his eyes was slightly bigger than the other and..and...

His strange looking eyes of _course_ managed to travel up to his ears...his unnatural, altogether inhuman looking dog ears - which did actually look more cat like than anything now that he'd finally got an honest look at them. Twitching them slightly, his heart fell to the bottom of his stomach at how gross and veiny they looked when they moved. No _wonder_ people always brought them up. They were almost impossible to miss and his unruly hair and those circles and...and... oh _gawd_.

The clothes suddenly feeling like the least of his problems, he bit his lip for a moment as he glared dejectedly at the offending appendages and those other flaws now screaming at him. Shaking his head slightly as though to throw those thoughts from his mind, Inuyasha quickly began peeling the tight fitting black shirt off when he heard a light knock and Kagome's soft voice.

"Hey if you like them, why don't you wear them out? Just take the tags off and I'll pay for them real quick."

 ** _Oh god no._**

Swallowing thickly, Inuyasha undid the lock and tried to strike a confident pose as he held out the fire rat robes with one hand. As Kagome took a good long look at him, his false confidence faltered and it became increasingly harder to keep a cocky look on his face when her gaze lingered across his stomach a little longer than he'd like. Holy shit, the urge to cover himself up was _awe_ _inspiring_. Glancing down at his shirt to see if something was there, he sighed before - on his way back up - he met Kagome's eyes and paled visibly. He wasn't quite sure what to make of the look she was giving him honestly and while it didn't make him self-conscious, it served to make him very uncomfortable in ways he had never really felt before but a way that did make him want to reach out and pull her face to his own just to validate that maybe, just _maybe_ , she still somehow found him attractive. She used to right? At least he'd thought she did. They'd...they'd kissed before...but that _had_ been under desperate circumstances and then...and then...

Not entirely sure what to do, he squirmed uneasily under her gaze that had a hint of something he couldn't identify, a light dusting of pink gracing his cheeks. After a moment where she seemed just as conflicted, Kagome smirked at him and added definitively, "You need a flannel and then we're _accessorizing_."

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The movie trailer was so action packed that the screen owned the young boy's eyeballs from start to end. His heart rate raced and only when it ended had he noticed his muscles were tense. It took a moment to digest such compressed drama – muscle bound heroes with less clothing than most people would wear to the beach and weapons that would make a commando drool. They must have spent hundreds of rounds, blown up an area half the size of Tokyo and done it all with that slightly distant air of emotional aloofness the only great stars pull off so naturally. Coming down from the high that trailer had left him with, the call of nature made itself known. Glancing down at his watch and then over at his friends, the boy smirked. He still had time.

As he casually made his way down the hall to the bathroom, the trailer played over and over again in his mind. Passing by an empty theatre, he paused when he heard the beginning of the same trailer begin inside and he grinned slightly before sneaking his way inside. Standing inconspicuously at the back, his eyes were glued to the screen taking in every detail...except for the fact that only one other person was present. As the screen slowly faded, he sighed happily, allowing himself a moment before a strange voice called out to him.

"I'm so excited about this film, aren't you?" the woman asked quietly. Shifting uncomfortably at having been noticed, the boy chuckled nervously as he turned to exit. Pulling on the door handle, he frowned when it stubbornly stayed shut and he jiggled it a little harder.

" _Stupid fucking thing_ ," the boy hissed under his breath as he pulled on the surprisingly jammed door. Turning around, he barely had time to scream when red eyes were on him and the world faded to black.

As the door swung lazily in and out, it revealed an utterly empty and gutted theater clearly marked under construction.


	4. Chapter 4 of Spooky Scary Skeletons

_We're so sorry skeletons_

 _You're so misunderstood_

 _You only want to socialize_

 _But I don't think we should_

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"While you were out, another boy went missing," Ms. Higuarshi began in a worried tone, "This time in broad daylight, in the middle of a crowded theater. I really would prefer you stay home."

"Inuyasha will protect me," Kagome groaned, "And besides I just dropped all my allowance on our costumes!"

"I will give you _more_ allowance money," Ms. Higuarashi answered quickly, "Why don't you stay in and watch a movie? I'll order pizza and if you want to have friends over..."

"They're all going to the party!" Kagome begged, "Please I'll be careful! I'm already letting Inuyasha bring his sword and he's basically a weapon with or without it. You let me to go to the feudal era but a party here is too dangerous, **_really_**?!"

Ms. Higuarashi knew her daughter was right so begrudgingly she acquiesced. Still the back of her mind she knew there were threats in this world that even Inuyasha may not be able to handle or even _recognize_.

"Has he ever seen a _gun_ before?" the elder woman sighed heavily.

"Honestly I don't think so..." Kagome sighed heavily, her confidence waivering. Knowing she'd tapped onto something, Ms. Higurashi battled forward, "What about a tazer or pepper spray or has he even _drank_ before? Do you know his tolerance?"

"There isn't going to..." Kagome began heatedly before her mother gave her a knowing look, "Okay, so I doubt there will be alcohol but _if_ there is - and that's a _big_ if - we won't drink any."

"The party isn't until _tomorrow_ night, right?" Ms. Higuarshi began casually. Kagome nodded slowly, an uneasy feeling growing in her stomach.

"Then we're going to have a movie night," the elder woman began in a tone that left no room for argument, "We'll start slow and go from there and then we'll see how unshakable your little hanyou really is."

"You're on," Kagome hissed with false bravado, secretly loathing having to explain to Inuyasha that what was happening wasn't real and his potential reactions. Hell, he'd tried killing a cockroach with the wind scar what was he going to do to Freddy Krueger!

"I'll order pizza then," Ms. Higuarshi said as she smiled evilly at her daughter, "I'll pick it up on my way back from the video store."

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The club was electric, everyone feeding off of the smiles and fast dancing. The young woman wanted to go like this all night long, feet moving to the crazy beat like they belong to the music. She moved in her dress like her hips were made to sway, the sequins catching the flashing strobe light and colorful lights twirling above.

" ** _REMEMBER TO COME OUT TOMORROW NIGHT FOR OUR HALLOWEEN BALL_**!" the DJ announced over the loud speaker in between the heavy base beats, " ** _COSTUME CONTESTS, DRINK SPECIALS..."_**

Sighing heavily, the young woman rolls her eyes as the DJ slowly killed her buzz with his drill announcement. Glancing around the overly crowded bar, she pouted until something caught her eye. There was another bar. It must've been just manned as she noticed a few other people from the quite full bar turned around and began heading that way. Quickly trying to beat the rush, the girl giggled her victory as she stared at the boy behind the counter who looked strangely familiar, like she'd seen him on TV. Maybe he was an actor or something doing this on the side.

"Hey, I need a..." the girl began before the music slowly died around her, looking up her eyes widened in horror at the realization that the bar had vanished behind her into a velvety black canvas. Tapping the man's shoulder next to her, she screamed when his flesh began to melt straight off his bones before her eyes. Glancing around, the girl's screams intensified as everyone - literally everyone - began to wither away until they were merely mottled flesh and bone - jaws hanging from their hinges, eyes popping out of sockets and blood pouring out of every orafice. As she turned to run, crimson eyes appeared before her and the world went black.

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"Their lips aren't going to match what they're saying, alright?" Kagome began, glancing over at Inuyasha sitting crossed legged on the floor casually leaning against the couch donning his fire rat hakama and - much to her surprise - the white cotton shirt she'd gotten him.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever. Bring it on," Inuyasha snorted as he glanced up at her with a smirk on her lips, "How bad can this really be?"

 _ **One hour later...**_

"What the _fuck_ is _that_?!" Inuyasha managed to gasp in between laughter the likes of which Kagome had never heard. Fighting back giggles herself, the miko watched the hanyou rolling around the ground clutching his side before glancing up at the giant Stay Puft marshmallow man walking up the street of New York City.

"This...this is what...people in your era...think is scary?" Inuyasha choked out, tears welling up in the corners of his eyes.

"This is a _comedy._ It's supposed to be funny," Kagome snorted deciding against reminding him that she'd had to explain all sorts of things from elevators to libraries,"A warm up before we get to the really spooky stuff."

" _Ooooohhh_ I'm so scared," Inuyasha sighed happily as he scooted back up to sit by Kagome's feet. After a moment, he glanced up at her and gave her a goofy grin, "Next year I want to go as that Vankman guy. He's my _favorite_."

 ** _Thirty minutes later..._**

"I ain't afraid of no ghosts," Inuyasha snorted as he gave Kagome a goofy grin before humming the Ghostbuster tune to himself as Kagome's mother made them popcorn. As Kagome looked through the remaining videos, she squealed when she saw Hocus Pocus and quickly held it up for Inuyasha to see.

"Okay, so this is one of my favorites. It came out a few years ago," Kagome squealed as she clutched the VHS to her chest, "Its not scary at all but it's pretty fun. It's about these witches who steal kids and..."

"I thought the point of this was to scare me and see if I can handle this future shit," Inuyasha smirked at her, gesturing pointedly to his ears as Kagome and her mother blushed furiously, "Even without these I could've heard you guys fighting. Bring on the scary crap already."

" _Fine_ ," Ms. Higuarashi commented casually as she held up another VHS, "This one is called Aliens. Scared the fool out of me when I was younger."

"Oh, I'm _so_ scared," Inuyasha snorted, "Does _this_ one have fat floating green blobs _too_?"

"No," Ms. Higuarashi smirked as she pushed in the video, "It doesn't."

 ** _Thirty minutes later..._**

The movie was having the desired effect on both teenagers. The smug grin had faded off Inuyasha's face slowly and he had very subtly moved off the floor to sit beside Kagome. Both of them had scooted closer together than was strictly proper but she wasn't going to chide them on that, especially with the way the hanyou's ears were pinned flat against his head.

' _Wait a minute, there's movement...'_ the man whispered on the screen moments before a small slimy creature launched out of its egg and latched itself securely against the helmet of the spacesuit.

In that moment, Inuyasha made a yipping sound, jumping then cowering slightly against Kagome on instinct as she cowered back before realizing what he'd done and getting up to storm out of the living room on the pretense of getting something to eat.

 ** _Fifteen minutes later..._**

" _ **FUCK**_!" Inuyasha screamed as the small slimy creature dropped down on one of the people's shoulders. Again, a dusting of pink graced his cheeks as he once again took in his position and response. Folding his arms across his chest, he defiantly set his jaw. Nothing was going to scare him again. This wasn't real. He'd fought way worse than this and never been scared before. Fuck this shit.

 ** _Ten minutes later..._**

As the small alien ripped its way out of Kane's chest, Inuyasha finally stopped lying to himself and admitted this was pretty fucking scary. People watched this to be entertained?! How was this supposed to be fun?!

"Is my big bad inu-hanyou afraid of a little tiny alien?" Kagome teased lightly in a baby voice as she leaned her head against his shoulder. Rolling his eyes, he almost denied it altogether before a much better idea entered his head as they both jumped at something on the screen. Resting his cheek against her head, he slowly reached an arm around her and hugged her tighter against him with a softly muttered, playful sounding, " _Maybe_...just a _little_."

There was nothing wrong with admitting afraid every once in a while...especially when it was all in good fun and when it earned him such a breathtaking grin from the girl tucked securely in his arms.


	5. Chapter 5 of Spooky Scary Skeletons

_Cause spooky scary skeletons_

 _Shout_ _startling shrilly screams_

 _They'll_ _sneak from their sarcophagus_

 _And just won't leave you be_

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 **Spooky Scary Skeletons**

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As Inuyasha leaned his head back against the edge of Kagome's bed, his frazzled nerves jumped in a million different directions when blue and red lights suddenly filtered through her window. Okay, yeah so maybe...just maybe...that stupid Ghostbuster movie was a little scarier than he'd let on. Not only was it filled with technology and references he didn't quite understand, oh no. The idea that the undead floated around in a form that you couldn't actually touch was far more disturbing to him than he'd like to admit. From his personal experience, everything could be killed in one way or another but apparently in Kagome's world there was this new stupid thing. If demons - which he knew were very real- were myth then these ghost things were probably real too.

Aliens were just demons. He could've killed those. They were something he could wrap his mind around. But...but _ghosts_?!

The door choose that exact moment to creak open - probably due to some draft - and Inuyasha nearly jumped out of his skin before flushing a deep crimson at the realization that he'd been scared...no, not scared dammit! Surprised, he was surprised - by something as stupid as a door.

Still...no no Kagome would kill him...but still...maybe he should, uh, stick a little closer than normal tonight. After all there were all those mysterious disappearances. Glancing over his shoulder at the sleeping girl, he chewed the inside of his cheek for a moment as his resolve wavered. They'd never cuddled - half-demons didn't cuddle dammit - they had never been in, uh, such close proximity before but...but maybe if he asked permission first to, uh, better protect her than she wouldn't sit him to the seventh layer of hell when she woke up to find him right, right there.

Taking a deep breath, he adjusted himself to kneel beside her bed and lay his head down on her pillow to face her for a moment before reaching over to gently tap her shoulder. Blinking groggily, Kagome's eyes shot wide open at the sight of Inuyasha's face almost right in front of her.

"What's wrong?" Kagome whispered hoarsely, trying to calm her erratic heart beat before realization dawned as she glanced upwards at the way his ears were pinned down against his head, " _Oh_ , did those movies scare the almighty Inuyasha?"

Spluttering slightly, Inuyasha pulled away - immediately regretting his life decisions - as he hissed back, " _No_! What gave you an idea like _that_?!"

"Well fine then," Kagome sighed as she sat up and picked up her clock - blanching when she saw what time it was, "So _why'd_ you wake me up?"

"I, uh, I thought I'd heard something outside and I wanted to, uh...to best protect you I thought...well you know that if I'm _closer_ like...and before I..uh...got...know what never mind," Inuyasha snapped heatedly as he turned back around and slouched against the side of the bed.

"Oh _dear_ ," Kagome gasped in faux concern - secretly thrilled at the idea that Inuyasha may be asking what she'd hoped he'd be asking as well as utterly helpless to his cute display which meant he'd actually been spoiled by those movies. Maybe she'd throw him a bone, "Well now that I'm up I gotta admit those movies sure did scare _me_. I know _I'd_ feel more comfortable if you were a little closer."

Ears perking up, Inuyasha glanced over his shoulder, his eyes filled with hopeful optimism as he whispered back, " _How_ close?"

Deciding to go ahead and be bold Kagome lifted up the blanket and gave him a pleading, innocent looking pout. Inwardly doing summersaults both because A) he got what he wanted without having to ask directly and B) here was a golden opportunity to hold Kagome all night long and maybe even a segway into talking about feelings.

Quickly getting up - not too quickly mind you he didn't want to seem overly eager - he maneuvered himself into the small bed. For a moment it was really, really, really _awkward_ \- it really wasn't big enough for two people. Since neither of them having been in such a position before, they seemed utterly at a loss for how to proceed - both desperately wanting this to work out and both desperately humiliated that it didn't seem to be working out that way. Suddenly, the solution occurred to the miko who instantly blushed a light pink but her eyes narrowed in determination as she threw caution to the wind, turned around to face the wall, and grabbed his hand led him into a spooning position before clutching his hand against her chest. A dark dusting of pink graced both their features as Inuyasha tentatively cradled her hips against his own - trying desperately to keep his hormones in check and stop his heart from exploding out of his chest. This was way, _way_ more than he ever bargained for. I mean sure, he'd hoped they'd get to this point eventually but to have it happen so soon...she, she _must_ feel the same way he did, right?! It wasn't like she had ever let _anyone_ hold her like this before...or he _hoped_ not at least.

Releasing a shaky sigh, he pulled her a little tighter against him - relishing in the way her breath hitched slightly - and allowed himself to take in her calming scent as he slowly drifted off to sleep with a ghost of a smile on his face. This holiday might be the best thing he'd ever heard of in his entire life.

 **XXXXXXXXX**

Leaning heavily against the brick wall, the twenty something woman stared idly at the cigarette she held between her fingers. It was almost short enough to burn her but damn if she'd let even one puff be wasted. Glancing at the back entrance to the restaurant she sighed as she patted her book tucked securely in her waitress' apron. Money had been good but then again, it was Friday. Money would've been better but she'd been in the weeds since the food runner called in sick and half of the wait staff had called in claiming the generic illnesses. Sighing, the pink haired girl took another long drag of her cigarette before dropping it and grounding it out with her foot. Bending over to pick up the butt, she flicked it into the dumpster.

"Only two more hours before close…only two more hours until close…" she chanted to herself as she turned to go back in before a sudden scream- cutting off as unnaturally as it began - had her whipping her head down the alley way. Ducking behind the dumpster, the girl clutched a hand to her chest as she shakily glanced towards the unnatural looking trio standing at the end.

"That makes thirteen," the smallest hissed, "We have what we need."

"Don't be a fool," a medium figure snapped, "We still need the blood of the one who struck us down to gain our true form once more. Why we've waited this long I'll never know. As for myself, I'm not entirely sure why we woke so many centuries after our pact was made. Naraku lied to us."

"We awoke because the jewel reappeared. Something must have happened to it! The blood pact was made over a jewel shard, so long as the jewel exists it won't be broken! Those fools must have done something with it and thus the delay," the smallest hissed once more as though it was the most obvious thing in the world, "Almost sixteen years ago to the date. We've been lying in wait since that moment for the impending lunar eclipse. He'll be weakest then."

"Do you honestly believe he'd be foolish enough to be out and about during it?!" the medium one interjected harshly, "We're wasting our time! We should move now before he goes into hiding!"

"We almost defeated him back then during the same time," the largest retorted, "That sword of his will and those pathetic claws will be useless but his blood will be just as powerful. He'll be easy to take!"

"What of the miko?" the medium figure asked shrewdly, "How will you deal with her?"

"Oh please," the smallest cackled, "I've watched her for some time. Her powers are nothing as they once were."

"That's because she's a different age you idiot!" the medium figure screeched as she smacked the offending figure, "You last ran into her five hundred years ago. Of course her powers have waned."

"Does it not bother you that she is still living? She must be very powerful. Don't let looks deceive you," the medium figured warned ominously, "In all likelihood…"

"Wait, someone is watching," the largest hissed. Swallowing thickly, the waitress cowered in her hiding place, trying her best to stay motionless – hardly daring to breathe. No one was going to save her. No one was…

"WHERE THE FUCK IS RENI!? SHE GOT SAT FIVE MINUTES AGO!" a burly man's muffled voice suddenly rang out behind the closed door which burst open almost immediately after. Glaring at the young woman cowering and pale next to the dumpster, his irate gaze faltered as the terrified look in her eyes.

"What happened? Are you okay?" he asked in a more gentle tone of voice before glancing around to see what the cause could be. Seeing nothing, he gave her an understanding smile, "Hey you've been sat but I'll get Aya to pick up your section. Why don't you go home? You look like you've seen a ghost."

"No!" Reni protested in a mildly hysterical voice – grateful someone had found her but also terrified of being left alone. before adding in a much calmer tone, "I mean, no, no I'll stay. Just don't make me close."

The man frowned but nodded and he helped her to her feet and led her inside. As the door slammed closed, the three figures quickly reappeared- their skeletal bodies seemingly emerging from the cement efface as grotesque bloody mounds of flesh. Congealing themselves back together, their mottled flesh still revealed the raw skeletons beneath - evidence that they weren't truly amongst the living.

"Is she a threat?" the smallest hissed to which the medium figure shook her head - a piece of flesh oozing sluggishly off her face at the movement.

"No, she won't tell a soul," the figure cackled as they turned to leave, "I'll see to that."


	6. Chapter 6 of Spooky Scary Skeletons

_Spirits supernatural_

 _Are shy whats all the fuss_

 _But bags of bones seem so unsafe_

 _It's semi-serious!_

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 **Spooky Scary Skeletons**

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This had to be the _worst_ idea in the history of ideas. Any bad decision that he had _ever_ made in the past – the quantity of which was daunting in and of itself – paled in comparison to this situation in which he found himself now. It seemed like such a good idea at the time. He'd been a little spooked and he felt safe around her, free to admit – more or less – such a weakness and she'd given him permission to do so and like the _fucking_ idiot he was, he was all too happy to go along…. _until_ now when his hormones had decided to make him wish he'd never been born. There was something going on that she was _bound_ to notice when she woke up – something he was keen on putting off as long as possible. The worst part - the very worst part - was that he couldn't even excuse himself from the situation because Kagome was still clutching his hand against her chest. He had been cornered...by himself.

Okay, well this couldn't be that hard - _oh_ , bad, _phrasing_ \- this couldn't be that _difficult_ \- yeah, that's better - to get out of right? He'd never let an enemy get the better of him before - although to be fair the raging enemy that was hormones in this moment was way more terrifying even than Naraku. _Oh, wait that's an idea_! Sesshomaru and Naraku. Sesshomaru and Naraku in this position. Sesshomaru and Naraku making out. Sesshomaru and Naraku having a good ole time. Yeah, _that_ did it. Thank _gawd_. Now...to get quietly away without waking up Kagome to avoid a repeat occurrence...

 **XXXXXXXXX**

Saturday was always the best day of the week. _Always_. Yeah, _okay_ , so that only applied to the modern era but still, how often did she really get an actual morning where she could sleep in past dawn?! Stretching slightly and snuggling more comfortably into her comforter, it took her a moment in which she felt as though something was missing before it dawned on her and a blush bloomed on her cheeks. She'd fallen asleep cuddled up with Inuyasha...in her _bed_... _under_ the covers...

Sitting bolt upright - all possibility of falling back asleep flying out of her mind - she glanced around her room for a moment in search of the missing hanyou or signs as to his whereabouts until her eyes landed on her open window. Lazily getting out of bed, she made her way to the window and looked outside only to see him perched in the branches of the Sacred Tree. As soon as she appeared, his head swiveled in her direction and he smirked at her affectionately before effortlessly jumping down, making his way across the courtyard and jumping up into her window.

"Hey, you're awake," he said by way of greeting before seeing the quizzical, somewhat hurt look that graced her face - adding seamlessly, "Woke up real early and wanted to give you more time to sleep."

Grinning at him, Kagome nodded in understanding, "Thanks, I definitely appreciate it."

"No problem," he said softly giving her another affectionate smirk as a light dusting of pink graced his cheeks. After a moment, in which they merely stood awkwardly seemingly at a loss of how to bring up and/or discuss their impulsive decision, it was Inuyasha who spoke first.

"So, about last night," he began slowly, "I...uh, I wanted to say...um...well we need to talk."

The scent of fear suddenly leeched into her scent at the same time a flash of fear skimmed through her eyes. Taking a deep breath, Inuyasha knew this was as good time as any to ask what he needed to ask. What he'd been planning on addressing since they first came back.

"So, uh, when...when you said I _didn't_ have the right to, uh, to not let you go with...with _another_ guy," he began awkwardly as he squirmed and folded his arms defensively across his chest, "I...I thought you knew what...uh, I didn't realize that you didn't know..."

"Know what?" Kagome sighed dejectedly after a moment of heavy silence. Here it was. The moment when he made it crystal clear that she was nothing more than a jewel detector that couldn't be going around having a normal life and chasing after other boys because...

"That...that I claimed you," he whispered so quietly that she almost missed it before he added even softer as his ears pinned flat against his head and he averted his eyes,"That you're _mine_."

"That I'm _yours_..." Kagome began slowly, hardly daring to believe what she was hearing. Surely he didn't mean it that way. His shard detector yes. He was in love with Kikyo, right? That claypot belonged to him not her. Shaking her head, Kagome sighed agitatedly, " _Just_ because I'm your jewel detector doesn't mean…"

"First of all, I _haven't_ seen you that way in a _long_ ass time," Inuyasha interjected heatedly - trying to hide his insecurities, "I mean like _mine_ , mine. Like...like...ugh, I don't know. You're just _mine_."

Mentally kicking herself, Kagome asked with no lack of bitterness, "What about Kikyo?"

Blanching, Inuyasha ran his hand through his hair as he turned away from her and mumbled, "I...I still gotta avenge her. She's still someone I consider a friend but...but we've come to an understanding. We've…we've both moved past what's happened and…and it's okay."

"I'm confused," Kagome answered honestly, which made Inuyasha blushed even more furiously, "So…you guys are just… _over it_?"

"I mean, that shit still stings but…but…okay bottom line is that you're mine and I'm yours, got that? Why can't you just accept that and be happy about it!?" Inuyasha barked back – his nerves finally snapping angrily that she wasn't as excited about this news as he'd hoped. For a moment he glared at her before his insecurities came back full force and his face fell at the tears welling in her eyes, "Unless…unless you…um, you don't…know what? Never…"

He didn't get to finish as Kagome leapt on him and pressed her lips against his effectively cutting his backpedaling off. For a moment, he froze in shock merely blinking back at her awkwardly as he tried to process this radical shift until she pulled away, fear leeching into her scent.

She'd accepted that she was his.

She'd _kissed_ him.

And he hadn't kissed her back.

Yanking her back, he desperately crashed his mouth down on hers – eagerly returning the kiss he'd been too stupid to respond to the first go around. After a few heated moments, Kagome pulled back slightly and gave him a sheepish grin, "So am I to understand…"

"That I love you, yes," he answered back gruffly – his amber eyes searching her blue anxiously. Maybe that had been moving too fast, maybe he'd read the signals wrong, maybe…

"I love you too," Kagome cooed back as she went in to press her lips against his one more time. Just as their lips were about to meet the door swung open and a high pitched squeal echoed through the house.

" ** _MOM_**! INUYASHA AND SIS ARE BEING _INAPPROPRIATE_!" Sota cried out in mock horror, giving Kagome a wicked grin.

"YOU'RE _DEAD_ , SOTA!" the miko barked as she charged and Sota wisely ran for his life, "COME BACK HERE YOU _BRAT_!"

Shaking his head, Inuyasha casually walked behind them with a dopey grin on his face.

 **XXXXXXXXX**

"Okay, so now that everything's finally cleaned up," Eri sighed happily as she looked around the now cleaned out home, "It's time to decorate."

Ayumi and Yuka as well as about a half a dozen others nodded excitedly at they admired their handiwork. It'd taken most of the day and evening to get it to the point where it'd be presentable and now the fun part could begin.

"So I thought our theme could be zombies and cemeteries and stuff," Eri began authoritatively, "That way we can have ghost and skeletons and all that good stuff."

"Sounds good," one of the boys agreed, "Just point and we'll start moving stuff in."

"It's super awesome, don't you think, that there's gunna be a lunar eclipse tonight! On a full moon too,' Ayumi enthused happily.

"Well, I'm just hoping people will actually show up," Eri sighed as she made her way outside, "That's fourteen people gone missing now but my parents hired a couple security guards to make sure nothing would happen."

"That's smart," Yuka agreed, "I mean, there will be a lot of us. Nobody would be stupid enough to attack when so many people would be able to see them."

"Yeah totally," Eri snorted, "We'll be fine and parents are going to pick their kids up so hopefully it'll all be good."and


	7. Chapter 7 of Spooky Scary Skeletons

**File13** : Yeah it's off canon and I've chosen to ignore that aspect in favor of plot. Its fanfiction. I do what I want. Hahaha

 _Spooky scary skeletons_

 _Are silly all the same_

 _They'll smile and scrabble slowly by_

 _And drive you so insane_

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 **Spooky Scary Skeletons**

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Inuyasha was _torn_. On the one hand, Kagome looked like something plucked from one f his fantasies and he was having to fight the urge to kiss every square inch of her body. On the other, _every other guy that saw her was going to think the same damn thing_. There was _no_ doubt in his mind that every guy within a ten mile radius was going to be highly aware of her presence and he'd have to beat them off with the blunt end of Tessaiga.

She was wearing black pants that look like they'd been spray painted on and a bright red corset top that bustled up in the front, pushing her cleavage in a very tempting yet clearly visible way. _No one_ should get to see that much of her _except_ for him. **_Ever_**.

"What the _hell_ are you supposed to be?" Inuyasha asked grumpily as he gestured helplessly at her ensemble at a loss of what else to really say to express his concerns as well as to cover up how good he thought she _really_ looked, "You're basically half naked."

"Wait, I'm not done yet," Kagome protested playfully as she reached for a silver wig and some plastic fangs. Putting them on – the wig taking a little more time than the fangs – she turned around with a cheery ' _ta da'_.

"That's _not_ better, and I _still_ have no idea what you're supposed to be," Inuyasha snorted as he took in the whole ensemble, "Like…are you a _demon_ or…"

Pouting slightly, Kagome offered in a pleading voice, "I'm a vampire. You know a kyonshī?"

"You don't look like a corpse to me," Inuyasha bit back playfully, "How is anyone gunna know what you are?"

"Because if they ask I'll say I'm a vampire," Kagome answered sarcastically as she added a bright red ribbon in her now silver locks and tied it into a boy before giving him a wicked grin, " _Anyway_ , you'll have to explain who you are too."

"Oh yeah? And why is that?" Inuyasha snorted before frowning as Kagome held out a small cross necklace and his sword.

"Because _you're_ a werewolf vampire hunter," Kagome answered happily as though it was the most obvious thing in the world, "That way its a couple's costume. See you have ears and a sword and you're wearing kinda edgy clothes."

"A vampire hunter, huh? You seem to have thought this out. Even _before_ you knew you were mine too," Inuyasha smirked as he fluidly stood up and began advancing on her slowly before adding in a husky tone that Kagome had never before heard him use but that sent butterflies fluttering through her stomach, " _So_ … what do I get to do once I catch my vampire?"

"I guess you'll have to catch me first to find out," Kagome answered softly, her breath catching in her throat as he pulled her against him and bent down to place a gentle kiss on her lips.

"Guess I will," he whispered back, leaning in to get another kiss before pulling back suddenly – earning a whine of disapproval to leave Kagome's lips – just as the door swung open and Sota came barging in.

"Oh dangit! I thought I'd be able to catch you guys doing something you're not supposed to… _again_ ," Sota snickered before he began giggling at the irate look in Kagome's eyes. Slowly backing up, he reached for the doorknob and closed the door as he snorted, "Well there's _always_ next time."

Shaking her head, Kagome had barely turned around when Inuyasha's lips were on her once more. Having spent so much time either denying, hiding or suppressing his love for her, he was going to take advantage of any opportunity to express himself especially given that he needed to do some serious damage control after how he'd treated her in the past. If the fight that led to this moment had shown him anything, it was how close he'd come to possibly losing her for good. Kagome was _his_ and he'd do _whatever_ it took to solidify that in her mind and show her how much she truly meant to him. Actions always spoke louder than words, after all.

 **XXXXXXXXX**

The rotting rice paper door slid open slowly and echoing footsteps invaded the silence that hung like a cloak around the house. A thick carpet of dust clung to every object, the rays of light shining through the shattered glass windows catching on the particles suspended in the stagnant air. The man moved deliberately, dust billowing into clouds as he passed. He continued to move through the house, kicking up more dust until it was difficult to see through the billions of particles that now swirled in the air. Then he came to a door, faded green, the small painted cherry blossoms curling from age, the thin paper almost consumed by a thick network of cobwebs, reaching out, he slid it open before entering the small room.

"What news?" the smallest figure asked quietly - her voice had a raspy quality to it and her eyes flowed a deep crimson as she turned to face the slowly rotting corpse that had entered the room.

"They left the shrine roughly thirty minutes ago," the man garbled, his jaw flapping as though it may come loose at any moment, "His senses have dimmed. He didn't even seem to notice my presence. If what you told me was correct, he should have been able to pick up my scent."

"Did he seem aware of his change?" the medium figure spoke up then, "Did he seem nervous or reluctant to leave?"

"No," the man rasped out, "Not in the slightest."

" _Excellent_..."

 **XXXXXXXXX**

"Hey, I've been here before," Inuyasha laughed as he turned and smirked at Kagome, "Isn't this where you lost your backpack and I had to come to your rescue? I'm almost as fast as these things. Why can't I just take up that way?"

"Oh yeah!" Kagome giggled, "I forgot about that. Well, you can't very well run in what you have on so we're taking the train. It's not so bad."

"Fine, _whatever_ ," Inuyasha sighed grumpily before looking around anxiously at the large crowd hovering around them, "How are all these people going to fit in there?"

" _Well_...its gunna be crowded but we'll fit," Kagome chuckled nervously at the horrified look on his face, "Just stick close to me. It's only one or two stops."

" I'm not worried about being close to _you_ ," Inuyasha muttered throwing her a playful smirk before huffing, "Its the other people...the smell alone is...is..."

"Is what?" Kagome asked curiously as she glanced down the tracks in search of the train before glancing over her shoulder when he stayed silent - a horrified and somewhat stricken look gracing his face.

"I... I can't smell anything...not like I usually can..." Inuyasha breathed anxiously before glancing down at himself, "Something's wrong...its _almost_ like..."

"Do you want to head back?" Kagome asked in a worried tone as she focused on his aura and noticed that it had lessened considerably, "I don't care, honestly. I'd rather be safe than sorry."

"No...no...your era is a little safer," Inuyasha answered a little too dismissively, "I'm sure it'll be fine."

"What if something happens and a demon attacks and you need..." Kagome began as she turned to face him. She didn't heft a chance to finish as Inuyasha gently tipped her head upwards and placed a gentle kiss on her lips before pulling back and smiling down at her, "I trust you'll keep me safe. Plus it's not like I'm totally useless. I can still _fight_. I just _can't_ smell worth a damn. That's all."

Blushing under this admission - still not completely used to his affectionate and weirdly sweet gestures that he seemed to be going out of his way to exhibit- she grinned sheepishly and nodded, "Yeah. I'm probably worrying about nothing. What's the worst that could happen?"

Running his thumb over her cheek, he leaned down to give her another peck just as the train pulled into the station.


	8. Chapter 8 of Spooky Scary Skeletons

_Sticks and stones will break your bones_

 _Thru seldom let you snooze_

 _Spooky scary skeletons_

 _Will wake you with a boo!_

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 **Spooky Scary Skeletons**

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"So what do you think is causing this?" Kagome asked nervously as a black streak appeared in Inuyasha's hair, "Did _I_ do this?"

"Don't be _stupid_ ," Inuyasha snorted, "You've kissed and hugged me before and nothing happened. It's something else."

"Well I mean, you've been with me this whole time," the knot growing in her stomach as yet another black streak suddenly appeared in his hair. Sighing, she mused a little louder, "I mean, is there maybe something going with the moon?"

An older man suddenly leaned over and chuckled, "Notice there was no moon out did ya? Of course not, it's a lunar eclipse! It's supposed to last all night. It's a once every five hundred year or so occurrence. Make sure you look up tonight."

Amber eyes nearly bugged out of Inuyasha's head and Kagome looked like she was about to pass out.

"We need to go back home until we figure out what's going on," Kagome whispered urgently in Inuyasha's ear - the unexpected proximity making him shiver involuntarily, "You should..."

"No, we're _going_ to this party," Inuyasha clipped back gently, "You made _all_ this fuss about _me_ escorting you and I'm doing it. Weird moon shit be damned."

"But..." Kagome whined softly before meeting his determined gaze, "Okay. But if it gets to be too much, we're heading home."

Giving her a lop sided grin, he nodded once and looked outside of the train window. It was strange. He'd never been standing still when the world blurred by. It was an interesting and honestly somewhat nauseating sensation. Still, it wouldn't last long and the slight clamminess he felt coming over him he could shake off once they got off this damn contraption.

Kagome watched uneasily as more and more black appeared in his hair. Maybe she should braid it or something to make the change less noticeable. The majority of it was still silver - although obviously more dull than usual. There were flakes of brown in his usually pure honey colored eyes. At least it was Halloween. These changes could merely be explained as a part of his costume but _still_...she couldn't help the gnawing feeling in her stomach that going to this party was a terrible, _terrible_ idea.

 **XXXXXXXXX**

Lining up the thirteen newly _recruited_ legion of the undead, the three figures quickly went to work restoring some of their more zombified characteristics as their victims looked blankly ahead. Their flesh was restored, the driedblood ciphoned from their skin, and broken bones were mended. They were all young - enough so to fit into this event that their target was attending without raising suspicion.

"Don't humans normally wear _costumes_ ," the medium figure whispered anxiously, "It might bring unwanted attention is they show up as they are."

"Well have them stop by a market then," the smallest one hissed exasperatedly, "They had cash on them when we took their souls. It doesn't matter. Just have them grab the first thing they see."

"Very well," the medium figure sighed before mumbling under her breath, "I do appreciate that you actually listened to me for once."

"I listen to concerns that _matter_ ," the smallest clipped back as she put the final touches on the last victim, "We need this to be successful. If you think costumes would assist in that effort, then costumes they shall get."

"Are they finished?" the largest figure asked as she breezed into the room.

"They are," the medium figure responded, "That half-breed will never see it coming."

"What of the brother?" the largest asked as she inspected them, "He is still in Paris last you discovered, correct?"

"Indeed he is," the smallest answered, sending the largest a smirk, "He isn't due back for many weeks and from what I have been able to determine, he does not suspect us."

" _Marvelous_ ," the largest cackled, "The _last_ thing we need is for him to interfere."

"I think we all agree on that point," the medium figure groaned, "Although he monitors them so throughly, I am surprised that he hasn't realized our plan."

"We've taken _every_ precaution not to draw his attention," the largest snapped, "That bastard would not have left if he had known."

"Or perhaps because he knows the outcome," the medium figured snapped back, "Perhaps we have thought wrong. Perhaps the half-breed has _not_ defeated us yet and isn't aware of our existence!"

"Oh I remember your conspiracy theory," the smallest hissed, "No one - demon _or_ human - is capable to traveling through time! You're being _paranoid_! Either way - if you are correct- we can change our fates and none of this will matter."

"You're a _fool_ not to consider it and a fool to believe you can change destiny," the medium figure snapped back angrily - her crimson eyes flashing dangerously, "It may be in our best interest to forget this entire endeavor and merely accept this as our form!"

"Oh do shut up," the smallest hissed,"We _can't_ keep stealing flesh. We're _literally_ only reanimated bone! We need to restore ourselves."

"Well that's what we've been doing for over a decade! We _could_ do it," the medium one retorted, "I'm just _saying_ there is more here than meets the eye. I'm almost _sure_ they haven't met us before and _no_ human could have survived this long. Has it ever occurred to you that we've been unable to locate this Naraku fellow?! Perhaps he was _defeated_!"

"Save it for someone who cares for your speculation. If you don't want to be a part of plan then leave ," the smallest quipped as she turned to the largest, "Shall we begin?"

The medium figure scowled but stayed where she was - despite her suspicion, she did lack adequate proof of her theory. She had always been of a overly cautious temper and many of her theories in the past had been nothing more than such. It was a theory, _merely_ a theory, nothing more.


	9. Chapter 9 of Spooky Scary Skeletons

_I put a spell on you_

 _And now you're mine_

 _You can't stop the things I do_

 _I ain't lyin'_

 _I put a spell on you...and now you're mine!_

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 **Spooky Scary Skeletons**

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" _ **KAGOME**_! You _actually_ made it!" Eri squealed as she rushed forward to embrace her friend, "I was _so_ concerned when your Grandpa said you had neurodermatitis!"

' _Okay I know that's not a real thing'_ Kagome snorted to herself before catching the accusatory glare Inuyasha gave her that quickly changed to an ' _shit shit shit'_ look when Eri suddenly her sights on her.

"It's _so_ nice to see you again," Eri said in a falsely sweet tone that was not missed by either the hanyou or the miko, "How _nice_ of you to join us. _Love_ the ears and the braid. _Nice_ touch.."

Laughing nervously, Inuyasha thanked her and moved slightly closer to Kagome, quickly intertwining his fingers with hers. Sending his nervousness, the miko gave his hand a quick squeeze.

It was in that moment that Yuka arrived - dressed in a cute sexified geisha outfit - gasping when she saw Inuyasha present. Leaning over to her date, she whispered urgently in his ear, " _Its Kagome's violent, two-timing boyfriend. I can't believe he came!"_

 _"Surely he isn't that bad,_ " the boy whispered back. Yuka shrugged as she responded quietly, " _I met him once and thought he was okay but then she came back singing the same tune only a few weeks later."_

Inuyasha's heart plummeted in his chest. Just _what_ had Kagome been telling them?! _Well_... he'd just have to prove to them he _was_ worthy of her. It was an obstacle easily overcome. After all, Kagome would _never_ say such things about him right? She _loved_ him. Not that she believed he hung the moon or anything but...but she had _always_ gone out of her way to defend him.

He didn't have to wait very long before he discovered that his course of action would do him no good and that perhaps Kagome had...

" _Did you see Kagome brought him?!"_

 _"I know! I don't want him here! What if he starts a fight?!"_

 _"Ugh, I hope not but that scumbag will probably be so nice tonight. I've seen some of those bruises. You know he did that."_

 _"You don't think he beats her do you?!"_

 _"Hell if I know. I..."_

Noticing the heartbroken expression on Inuyasha's face and the way his ears were pinned on his head, Kagome furrowed her brow as she followed his gaze to her friends who were whispering urgently to each other.

"Are you alright?" Kagome whispered - her voice seemed to snap him out of his misery as he glanced at her and took her hand.

"We need to talk," Inuyasha muttered quietly as he led her through the party, glancing around nervously, "Where no one can overhear."

 **XXXXXXXXX**

As soon as the door shut behind them and Inuyasha stepped a little way further onto the abandoned patio, he folded his arms tightly against his chest as he sighed, "What have you been telling your friends about me?"

Paling visibly, Kagome grimaced, "Why do you ask? What did you hear?"

"They...they think I _beat_ you and am violent and..." Inuyasha trailed off, clearly not wanting to continue before he swallowed thickly and finished lamely, "And other stuff. Why?"

"Oh Inuyasha," Kagome sighed miserably, "I...I...I'm sorry. I don't see them very often and when I do, it's usually after we fought so I'd let off some steam and...and I'd say you were a jerk and talk about Kikyo and..."

"What _exactly_ did you say?" Inuyasha asked a little heatedly but with a clear undertone of hurt, "Is that _really_ how you saw me? How you _see_ me?"

Kagome watched helplessly as he withdrew into himself. Inuyasha's expression was uncharacteristically stoic, but his eyes held something she hadn't seen since the very beginning of their journey when he'd still believed Kikyo had betrayed him and he thought he was all alone in the world - in that lonely place that only he occupied.

"Of course not," Kagome whispered as she reached up to cup his chin and stroked his cheek with her thumb, "Of course not."

"Then _why_?" he asked calmly - a little too calmly. Grimacing at tone, Kagome shook her head and sighed hopelessly, "Like I said when I'd come back it was usually after a fight and a lot of times I'd say things without thinking...or whatever was bothering me at the time. That you fought with Koga - to be fair that was right after when he'd kidnapped me. You remember how I went home right after that when we had a fight? I'd complain that you were chasing after Kikyo because it bothered me and I needed to vent. I'd tell them that we fought a lot because we do. I called you arrogant, and selfish and a jerk."

"So...true things more or less," he asked again in a soft even tone, the hurt look in his eyes growing more prominent before adding with a slightly more agitated tone, "If I'm _so_ terrible, why even bother sticking around? Okay, Imean, I know you keep coming back because of the jewel shards but...but were you just _tolerating_ me? I thought...you said you..."

"First of all, you're _not_ terrible," Kagome groaned, "Second of all, you didn't really _like_ me until recently."

"I always _liked_ you," Inuyasha muttered quietly, "I just...I just didn't _trust_ you."

"Okay, you tried to kill me the first time we met," Kagome laughed humorlessly, "I thought you _hated_ me. You _surely_..."

"I could have if I really wanted to _and_ I told you early on you had it wrong when you asked me point blank if I hated you,"" Inuyasha responded numbly, "You _know_ I could've killed you. You've _seen_ me fight. I _didn't_ though. You... you thought I was...something _other_ than a monster from the start. But you had the jewel and...I...I just...I wanted to _scare_ you into giving it to me. I would've _never_ hurt you. I didn't _trust_ that you wouldn't turn on me. Hell, those villagers planned on killing me. Why would I think that you wouldn't listen to them? I mean..."

"I know...I know that," Kagome sniffles miserably, tears welling up in the corner of her eyes, "I'm so sorry. I'll tell them..."

"They won't believe you," he muttered then, "They think...they said..."

An icy feeling grew in Kagome's chest as it dawned on her exactly what her friends must've been saying. They weren't even going to give him a chance.

"I'm sorry," Kagome repeated miserably, "I'm so _so_ sorry."

"Well, it's not like you were wrong when you said those things," Inuyasha chuckled humorlessly as he turned to go back inside, clearly regretting bringing it up at all, "I did those things. I was...I just thought...I didn't think you'd..."

"I really shouldn't have," Kagome answered desperately as she grabbed his sleeve and tugged him into a tight hug, grateful he allowed her to embrace him. She held him tightly - trying to express how remorseful she was through actions since words often were shallow and lost on him, "I'm so sorry."

For a moment, he seemed reluctant to hold her - his posture rigid, his breathing shallow - until he slowly wrapped his arms around her and held her just as tightly.

"I wouldn't want you any other way," Kagome murmured into his chest, "I love you just as you are."

"Then why'd you.." he asked quietly. Kagome laughed once and held him tighter, "Because I'm stupid and I've got a temper."

"That's okay," he whispered as he placed a kiss atop her head, "I'm stupid and I've got a temper too."

"I _am_ sorry," Kagome repeated sincerely as she pulled back and gave him an apologetic smile, " _Really_."

"I _know_ ," Inuyasha sighed - the hurt look in his eyes lessening before a surprisingly playful emotion flash through his eyes, "I know how you're gunna make it up to me too."

"How?" Kagome asked nervously. Inuyasha smirked at her as he whispered affectionately, "Like this..."

And his lips were on hers. So absorbed were they in their kiss that was growing increasingly demanding and passionate, they missed the figures in the door.

 **XXXXXXXXXXX**

The three figures slowly shed the mottled clumps of flesh as they watched the unsuspecting couple embrace each other. This seemed almost too easy...so he wanted her friends to accept him did he?

"You know what to do," the largest figure turned to look upon his sisters. Their skulls were a chalky ivory with hues of a violent angry red where remnants of the muscle and tissue that once held their bodies together still had yet to decay. Sinewy cartilage remained - a pustulent yellow - to keep their bones in one place and gave them form yet it only served to make their figures more grotesque now their stolen flesh had been shed.

"Summon one," the medium one hissed to the smallest who nodded once. The crimson orbs that served as her eyes flashing once. A few moments later one of the victims appeared before her - almost out of thin air.

"You heard his concerns," the smallest hissed. The girl nodded once. The figure smirked, "Use that to your advantage."


	10. Chapter 10 of Spooky Scary Skeletons

_It's been five hundred years_

 _Right down to the day_

 _Now the witch is back_

 _And there's hell to pay_

 **XXXXXXXXX**

 **Spooky Scary Skeletons**

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Inuyasha was in sensory overload as he stood against the wall. The music was so loud that it made his skin tingle and his lungs felt like mush. Over the roar of music, a distant, hazy chatter could be heard. With his senses impaired, he couldn't make out any words, and the flashing lights were making him sick. On top of everything was the worst feeling in the world. Knowing the love of your life would be happiest in a world to which you just didn't belong. There were so many things he didn't understand that seemed to be common knowledge here. Hell, he wasn't even sure how to stand or whether he was doing anything the acceptable way. Kagome had many faux pas tonight without even thinking - casually saying something about something then realizing after the fact he had no idea what she meant - and all it served to do was make him that much more miserable. It was like she was speaking another language. It made him feel stupid, it made him worry that she thought he was stupid, and it irked him to realize how she edited herself the others in the feudal era - himself included. How could she even _stand_ it? He was _ignorant,_ a _freak,_ an _outsider_ and that's all there was to it.

So he stood with his cup of something Kagome thought he'd like as he watched Kagome as she danced with her friends. Despite what they said earlier, they'd actually had been trying to include him but having never danced before and not wanting to embarrass himself he declined - politely -and let Kagome go without him which seemed to appease the gaggle of girls. He was trying...and it was hard. _Especially_ when that Akitoki Hojo asshole joined in their dance circle. He almost went over there and told him to back the hell away from his woman but...but...okay, so he wanted those friends of her to like him. He didn't know why - he'd never given a shit whether strangers liked him or not before - but he really, desperately wanted those friends of hers to approve of him being with Kagome. There was no way in hell anyone in his world would ever approve of them - aside from their friends and allies - so this was the only chance he'd really have to be in a world where people might...might...

"Hey, why aren't you dancing?" a girl suddenly asked as she came to stand beside him. Inuyasha sent the newcomer a confused glance before shrugging and taking a sip of whatever the hell drink Kagome had given him. The girl looked him up and down a moment before clapping her hands together and squealing, "Oh my gosh! You're Kagome's boyfriend right?!"

Nodding once, Inuyasha purposefully forced himself to give her an awkward smile and turned to face her, "Uh, yeah."

"You seem really sweet," the girl cooed as she cast a quick glance at Kagome, "She sure is lucky to have a guy like you."

Blushing slightly under the unexpected phrase, Inuyasha mumbled a quick thanks and sent her a shy yet more genuine grin.

"Hey, since they're dancing why don't you come over and sit with me and my friends?" the girl giggled, "I'd love to get to know more about the guy who stole my friend's heart."

Casting a quick glance at the madly dancing and giggling Kagome, he nodded and followed the girl into the other room and up the stairs.

"You guys are upstairs?" Inuyasha asked bemusedly, "I thought they said the party was down there or..."

"There's more seating up here," the girl answered quickly, "The dancing and food is downstairs."

"Oh," Inuyasha answered nervously - his instincts suddenly screaming at him something wasn't quite right, "You know I should probably see what Kagome is doing to make..."

"Oh," the girl clipped tersely, "So you really are possessive aren't you?"

Amber eyes widening slightly in panic, Inuyasha shook his head vehemently and gestured up the stairs at her to continue. Kagome would be okay for a few minutes. She'd be pleased - _surely_ \- that he'd been sociable and won over at least _some_ of her friends. The girl smiled and cooed something about 'knew they were wrong' before quickly bounding up the last few stairs and heading into a small room. Inuyasha's instincts were screaming at this point but he promptly told them to go to hell. His anxiety was probably from not being able to keep track of Kagome. There was no way something...

But as the door suddenly slammed behind him and darkness enveloped the room the last thing that flew through his mind was that maybe he should've listened to his instincts.

 **XXXXXXXXX**

The first thing that registered in his foggy mind was pain. His insides were in chaos. A mess. Something was bothering him. Something was hurting him. Something ached inside him. Something felt so wrong, so invalid but he couldn't tell what. He tried to pin point the cause for this unexplained pain but failed. He tried to reason this unbearable throbbing in every muscle but he couldn't find any. Everything felt so confused, just like a jumbled set of a puzzle. A puzzle he was trying and failing to solve.

"He's waking up," came a worried inhuman voice, "You didn't sedate him enough."

"I gave him enough to kill an elephant," snapped a second, "We're almost done anyway. This is the fourth pint."

' _Done_?' Inuyasha thought groggily as his eyelids fluttered, ' _Done with what?'_

Lolling his head to the side, he managed to keep his eyes open long enough to see several small tubes protruding from various points on his arms and sides slowly drawing his blood from his body. Instead of making him want to tear them out and fight, it made him fight off the overwhelming desire to vomit and pass out. Following the tubes up he blinked sluggishly at the sight of several small bags filled to the brim with the thick, copious liquid being drained from his body.

Losing the battle to keep his eyelids open, he focused on trying to find a sign of where he was. He could _still_ hear the party. He was _still_ in the house. He could hear Kagome's voice as well as that of her friends' calling out his name. He wanted to answer - his lips moving without sound escaping - but with every passing second he felt weaker, more tired and it became harder to formulate any kind of rational thought. What the hell had they done to him?!

"Okay, switch those two out," yet another voice whispered, "After this next one his heart will probably give out so do it quick. We need all we can get."

"He's a half demon," a voice retorted, "His body will regenerate it much easier. I bet we can get four more."

 _'Are they...are they draining my blood?'_ Inuyasha thought numbly - noting how his heart was beginning to flutter painfully in his chest and darkness was edging into the corner of his mind, ' _Why? Who...'_

"Before he dies, sister call to his soul," the authoritative sounding voice - perhaps the leader - snapped, "Perhaps what we lack in volume, the soul would do."

Inuyasha suddenly felt a hard, angular yet strangely smooth hand on his chest right over his heart and a very unpleasant pulling sensation suddenly sent his already weak heart beat into painful and erratic overdrive. Excruciating pain shot through every nerve and a unsolicited cry of pain wrenched itself free from his lips - his only sign of a fight as he tried to force his limbs to move yet he could barely his eyes open much less sit up or lift his arms. Distantly he heard footsteps on the stairs and the sounds of someone trying to open the door but perhaps it was wishful thinking as the pain intensified and it became increasingly difficult to breathe. Darkness enveloped his mind and the world faded away as all the warmth suddenly flew from his body in one fell swoop.


	11. Chapter 11 of Spooky Scary Skeletons

**A/N: It's my birthday! Happy birthday me!**

 _Your wretched little lives_

 _Have all been cursed_

 _'Cause of all the witches working_

 _I'm the worst_

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 **Spooky Scary Skeletons**

 **XXXXXXXXX**

The deep crimson and putrid yellow concoction bubbled angrily in the vat as one of the figures stirred it with a large iron staff - every once in a while making her way over to the motionless figure laying sprawled out on the filthy floor to clip a lock of hair or a claw free from its former owner. That pathetic fool had expired before they could extract his soul andso it had become necessary to experiment by adding other ingredients from his body. One arm had already been added to the pot as well an ear yet a little more was needed to complete the poultice that would give them life once more.

They would soak in the brew once it was completed. His life's essence would give them life once more...or it _should_. It would be their luck that all this had merely been a waste of time.

The sound of soft footsteps and the soft schick of the sliding door alerted the potion master to the presence of her sisters. They all had their gifts and together they were formidable.

Kano, the smallest amongst them, could reanimate the dead and sense a person's deepest desire to lead them into their trap.

Shika, the middle child in every way, was a master of illusion and trickery. Her illusions were as masterful and through as a moth demon's and just as deadly. She could choose who came and went. Trap many without anyone being the wiser.

Mirai, the oldest and tallest, was an expert at spells and potions. Most spells and potions required live sacrifice, of course. Since their rebirth, they had learned more modern and more reliable methods of sanguine extraction. This particular spell required blood. It had become clear over the years that human blood would only work for a few hours to a week depending on age. The younger they were the longer it lasted. However, their recent victims were drained dry to serve this end. The blood of thirteen humans combined with the flesh and blood of an enemy. Add a little this and that and you have everlasting flesh. No more hunting and hiding in the shadows. No more blood donation front schemes or theft from hospitals. No. They would be whole and then the world would pay.

The only thing that could possibly interfere was that miko of irksome longevity. None of his family even knew...

- ** _BOOM_** -

 **XXXXXXXXX**

Something was wrong. Terribly _terribly_ wrong. No one had seen Inuyasha and she knew in her heart of hearts he would _not_ have left. Her nerves ran even more ragged when she began overhearing multiple people asking about who invited a large group of people into the party in the context of being glad they all left. She'd recruited her friends to help search for him and upon seeing Kagome's fear, they agreed. It wasn't until Kagome felt a spike of demonic aura from above that she panicked. Dashing up the rickety staircase, Kagome pulled on the door where the demonic aura was strongest and found it sealed firmly shut. Trusting her instincts she pressed her hands firmly against the door and summoned all the spiritual power she possessed - something she had never tried before but something she'd seen Kikyo do in the past - and zapped the door in a brilliant flash of pink. Ignoring the startled cries of the partygoers below - which she assumed was from her little display - she was just about to rush into the room when two silver blurs beat her to the punch.

 **XXXXXXXXX**

A single body lay in the center of the room. Her long brown hair lay haphazardly underneath her soaked by the pool of blood beneath the corpse. She wore a waitress's garb - her apron still securely around her waist...her white shirt stained around the gaping hole where her heart should be. Her open, unseeing, vacant brown eyes stared idly at the would be rescue party who had just charged into the room.

" _What the fuck?_!" a silver haired woman cursed under her breath before turning towards the young man next to her, "I **_told_** you we should've arrived earlier. You just had to stop for cigarettes didn't you?!"

The boy rolled his eyes and rounded on the stunned silent, very pale Kagome staring helplessly at the cadaver on the floor, "Do you sense his aura?"

Kagome whipped her gaze up to meet he boy's amber eyes and took a startled step back as her eyes traveled up to the small dog ears atop his head as she asked hoarsely, "Who are you?"

"Bitch we do not have..." the boy began angrily before the female put her hand on his shoulder and approached Kagome with her hands up in clear surrender.

"We're...uh, _his_ nephew and niece," the slender woman began slowly, "Our father had tasked us with watching over him in this era."

"Your...wait, Sesshomaru...what?" Kagome spluttered - her mind still somewhere between overwhelming panic and bewilderment. Casting an anxious glance over her shoulder at the brother, the silver haired woman grimaced before turning back to the short circuiting miko, "We don't have time to fully explain. We need to find him. Can you focus and see if you can break the illusion? We can smell him. He's...he's here."

The hesitancy as the flash of grief and remorse in the woman's eyes was the metaphorical smack across the face Kagome needed to snap herself out of her shock. Closing her eyes, ignoring the startled scream of Eri behind her - Kagome focused her strength to try to seek out Inuyasha's aura. It wasn't present but three others were.

"I feel three auras," Kagome answered shakily - not entirely sure she wanted to report what she needed to- " but...but not his."

"We're going to leave the room. We need you to blast the crap out of this one," the girl instructed firmly before adding quickly when she saw Kagome's horror. Gently cupping her chin, the woman's amber eyes were filled with understanding, "You _won't_ hurt him and you _can_ do this. I know you don't know me yet but you must trust me. _Please_."

Taking a deep breath, Kagome waited a few seconds before trying yet another thing she'd never done before. Focusing all her energy in on herself, Kagome let out a heartwrenching scream as a pink energy burst from her body shattering the illusion and allowing her to see what had become of her hanyou.


	12. Chapter 12 of Spooky Scary Skeletons

_If you don't believe_

 _You better get superstitious_

 _Ask my sisters_

 _"Ooh, she's vicious!"_

 **XXXXXXXXX**

 **Spooky Scary Skeletons**

 **XXXXXXXXX**

Eri, Yuka and Ayumi stared open mouthed at the scene unfolding before them. Their brains formulated no thoughts other than to register that they were shocked and terrified by the bizarre, grotesque and horrific landscape that had suddenly shimmered into existence. Yuka was the first to come to her senses- blinking rapidly as she wrenched her gaze away from the mutilated corpses of the boy and girl on the floor to the two strange looking newcomers with almost identical ears, both holding onto very outdated looking weapons- before blurting out stupidly, "Ears!"

Despite the direness of the situation, the boy snorted once as he nodded and acknowledged that -yes- they indeed possessed ears - his amber eyes remaining trained on the three skeletal figures picking themselves up off the floor. Kagome remained frozen - having collapsed onto her knees - staring at the lifeless and disfigured body of the man she loved sprawled out on the ground - his vacant amber eyes unknowingly meeting her gaze. Her world had shattered the same moment as the illusion. Even if by some miracle they were able to resurrect him, his arms had been severed at the shoulder, the tips of several fingers had been clipped neatly from their hosts, one of his ears had been sloppily ripped from his head and his skin looked slightly deflated as though he had been sucked dry. How long had he been up here? Why hadn't she noticed? Guilt and grief consumed her as she shakily got to her feet - ignoring the three angry figures now advancing towards her - and made her way over to his body - freezing once more when his body suddenly twitched.

"See that girlie?" Kano cackled as Inuyasha's corpse unnaturally sat up and lolled his head towards her - eyes holding no sign of recognition, "Let's see how powerful you are against _him_."

"Oh do _**SHUT UP!**_ " the silver haired boy snapped as his nails glowed a vibrant green and the undead reanimated corpse stumbled uneasily to his feet, "Your fight is with _us_!"

These new developments shook the three unknowing voyagers from their mind numbing shock - their confused gazes whipping between all the inhuman events occurring before them. For a moment they merely watched before their faces set in determination and they glanced around for the nearest blunt objects they could use to defend themselves. Luckily, there remained several pieces of furniture and artwork from the previous owner still in the room and they armed themselves the best they could as the boy unleashed a neon green whip cleaving one of the skeletons clear in half down the middle. For a moment, the creature merely stood suspended in air before reassembling themselves with a sickening snap.

" _ **Fuck**_!" the boy hissed as he reached for his sword glancing over at the miko, "Kagome grab his sword!"

For her part, it was all Kagome could do to back away from the reanimated hanyou slowly advancing towards her clumsily. His actions were sloppy - thankfully - and each swipe of his claws seemed to miss her but it was her unrelenting sobs that were making her an easier than normal target and it wasn't too long before one of his blows grazed her shoulder leaving four deep gouges in her flesh.

"Kagome! **_No_**!" Yuka screamed as she rushed forward - ignoring the battle raging on around her as the skeletons and the strange newcomers came to blows. Ducking as the zombified boy made a swipe at her, she grasped the sword still on his belt and pulled with all her might managing just barely to miss his efforts to land a blow on her as well. Eri and Ayumi were quick to back up their friends as they rushed forward to try to draw the...the thing's attention away. Yuka finally managed to wrench the sword away and scrambled away - grasping Kagome's arm and pulling the miko with her out of harm's way towards the door before it slammed shut before them and shimmered out of existence.

Together the four girls huddled against the wall as the undead man made his way unsteadily towards them - the remaining arm reaching out towards them as thick coagulated blood slid sickeningly out of his mouth. Kagome's heart wrenching sobs escalated as she prepared to defend her friend's, a pink glow beginning to appear on her hands. She'd blast him if she had to. It wasn't like he'd feel it. He was beyond feeling. And she knew he would never want this. He would never want to be used in such a way to hurt her or anyone else. Just before she released her power, sudden high pitched death throes issued from across the room as the smallest figure disinterested before their very eyes as the silver haired girl managed to land a blow with her venomous claws straight down on the figure's head. The second the figure disappeared for good, Inuyasha's corpse collapsed in a heap.

There wasn't time to recover or even process this development before the medium sized skeleton was on them. Hissing angrily, her hand latched onto Yuka's arm - the snapping of breaking bones and the girl's blood curdling scream sliced through the air - as the figure attempted to wrench the sword away. Hands already at the ready Kagome turned watery fury filled eyes on the figure before clamping her hand down on the skull and sending a shockwave of epic proportions through it. The figure disintegrated into dust as Yuka swayed dangerously and gripped her broken arm. As her body went limp, Eri caught her and Ayumi took the sword before screaming over the fray, " ** _WHAT THE HELL DO I DO WITH THIS?!"_**

In a flash, the silver haired girl ripped it from the human's hand and drew the mighty Tessaiga before unleashing the wind scar directly at the remaining skeleton evaporating it instantly as well as blowing out the side of the home. Placing the sword back into the sheath, she knelt beside the corpse and shook her head morosely.

"We...we need to put him in that cauldron," she whispered quietly as she gently scooped up his rigid and awkwardly placed body. When Kagome opened her mouth to protest, the girl shook her head and whispered once more, "Trust me. _Just_...trust me."

Kagome nodded numbly as she unsteadily followed the girl - her friend's hanging back and caring for their maimed, still unconscious friend. The vat was still bubbling sickeningly - emitting a sharp, nauseating coppery stench - as the woman gently placed the mutilated cadaver into the thick hot liquid.

"Will it...will it bring him back?" Kagome asked hoarsely, "What..."

"It will _not_ bring him back," the girl whispered quietly, "But it _will_ reassemble what he has lost... _mostly_ anyway."

"So...so he's just _gone_?" Kagome choked, her sobs returning full force before she glanced at the girl, "Don't you have your father's sword with you? Couldn't you..."

"It remains with Father," the girl answered softly, "But we conveyed the message before we entered the house. You should go to the hospital with your friend and get yourselves checked out. Once he arrives, we will know our course of action. Hopefully the sword has not been used before now."

A cold feeling of dread set in Kagome's stomach as she nodded numbly and slowly returned to her friend's side.

"Come on," Kagome managed to say before quiet sobs, "We need to go. I'll explain anything you want on the way."

 **XXXXXXXXX**

Rage built in Sesshomaru's chest as he boarded his private Concorde jet. It was for moments like this that he had bought this jet capable of crossing the Atlantic in 3.5 hours. His children had failed him on this day of _all_ days. Although the specifics had never been given to him - for fear of changing the timeline - he was aware that his brother had indeed died sometime while in Kagome's era. There were so many precautions he had taken over the years. So many demons had attempted to take out the young miko during her childhood - those foolish enough to believe they could steal the jewel lodged deep within her body. This latest phone call with his oldest daughter - however - concerning the state of Inuyasha's body and his demise was horrifying even to one such as him. There was a seed of doubt whether Tensaiga would even be able to resurrect him yet it must be so. Indeed there were two lives he must save this day- those exsanguinated fully and whose flesh had been stolen were beyond his abilities.

As he took off into the air, Sesshomaru shook his head and turned to his wife, already waiting across from him as he groaned uncharacteristically and slumped into his seat as the plane rocketed down the airstrip.

"Rin, as much as I _loathe_ to admit it, you were right. I should _never_ take Tensaiga with me when I travel for business."


	13. Chapter 13 of Spooky Scary Skeletons

_"Ah say into pie uppa-maybe-uppen die!"_

 _Ah say into pie uppa-maybe-uppen die!_

 _"In Kamma Koray Ama"_

 _In Kamma Koray Ama_

 _"Hey hi, say bye-bye-i-i-i-i-i-i-i"_

 _"Bye, **bye** "_

 **XXXXXXXXX**

 **Spooky Scary Skeletons**

 **XXXXXXXXX**

The morning of November 1st was a sober time for the four girls sitting quietly in Kagome's bedroom. The truth had finally been revealed. It wasn't illness that kept Kagome away from school but traveling five hundred years in the past. Demons were not myth. Miko did in fact have offensive spiritual powers. The world as they knew it had many unnatural things just under the surface. As far fetched as it all may have sounded to them yesterday, after what the girls had seen they had no reason to doubt her.

"I'm sure they'll be here soon," Eri whispered quietly, "If what you said about that sword is true, he'll be okay. Don't beat yourself up."

Biting her lip, Kagome stared miserably at the floor as she fought to keep herself from devolving into sobs once more. Wrapping an arm gently around her friend, Ayumi nodded as she squeezed Kagome lightly - mindful of her injured shoulder, "It'll be okay."

Letting out a shuddering sigh, Kagome jumped when she heard a soft tapping on her window. Rushing over, she quickly opened the window and stepped back as the young silver haired girl arrived carrying in the unconscious yet almost fully restored hanyou into the room and laid him upon the miko's bed.

"He still hasn't woken up but his heart's beating and his appendages have grown back more or less," she whispered before gesturing towards the still maimed ear, "That hasn't though and...and it won't."

"Oh," Kagome answered breathlessly as she sat gingerly onto the bed next to the still deflated and battered looking hanyou, "That's...if that's the worst of it, I'm...I'm okay with it. It's better than the alternative."

Nodding in understanding, the girl turned before glancing over her shoulder, "You won't be hearing from us again. There's too much at stake."

"I understand," Kagome whispered distractedly as she ran the back of her fingers down his cheek, "It will be what it'll be."

As the silver haired woman left, Kagome's friends one by one left the room with softly spoken goodbyes - knowing the pair needed some time to themselves and to recover after such a horrifying night. Once they were gone, Kagome carefully laid out beside him - her fingers gently tracing his face, ever mindful of the slowly fading bruises. She laid there for hours just watching him- sniffling occasionally and watching the small signs that proved to her that he was still with her. The way his eyelids would flutter, the steady rising and falling of his chest, the small twitches of his jaw as his mouth moved unconsciously. Finally, finally his amber eyes opened sluggishly and a soft smile grew on his face when he saw hers so near to his own.

"You saved me," he whispered hoarsely as he painfully raised his hand to caress her cheek lazily, "I knew you would."

"I'm so sorry," Kagome sniffled as she scooted closer and tenderly rested her face in the crook of his neck, "I should...I never thought..."

"S'not your fault," he whispered affectionately as exhaustion rushed through him once more and his eyelids grew heavy, "I was dumb enough to get myself into that mess."

"I'm still sorry for leaving you alone," Kagome whispered against his skin, "I'll never do it again."

Taking a tentative sniff, Inuyasha croaked groggily, "Your friends were here."

"Yeah, they...they helped save you," Kagome whispered quietly, "They know everything now. They deserved to know after what they did."

"So...so they like me now?" Inuyasha slurred - his insecurity still finding a way to make itself in his tone, "Do they..."

"They think you're amazing," Kagome answered quietly, "You save me so often and yeah we fight but...but I think they get it now. They understand."

"'Kay," Inuyasha breathed tiredly as he turned onto his side and weakly maneuvered Kagome until he was spooning her, "I like sleeping this way. Don't care what the monk says we're doing this more often."

"Sounds good to me," Kagome mumbled as she allowed herself to rest, "I could stay like this forever."

"Forever sounds good," Inuyasha mumbled happily as he allowed himself to succumb to sleep once more, "I'd like that."

And so they slept.

 **XXXXXXXXX**

Sesshomaru sat in his study, rapping his claws anxiously against the armrest of the leather chair as he awaited their arrival. Oh, they were about to be ripped a new one for not giving him _any_ warning.

"You are late," he snarled as the pair entered the room. As they sat in the chairs across from him, they grinned slightly as he leaned forward and hissed, " _Explain_."

"Well, you're such a pain in the ass that you probably would've stopped me from going!" a much older Inuyasha snapped, "Can't go around fucking with destiny."

"Would you rather this Sesshomaru allow you to die?!" the daiyoukai hissed, "If the children had arrived even a minute later all would be lost!"

"Stop being so dramatic," Inuyasha groaned as he rolled his eyes, "It all worked out."

"Indeed," Sesshomaru answered, his lips pulled into a thin line as he narrowed his eyes at the pair, "This Sesshomaru is still disturbed by the turn of events. The children were quite upset."

"I'll _apologize_ ," Inuyasha sighed dismissively before adding in a snarky tone, "Is that _all_?"

"Rin desires you join us for dinner," Sesshomaru clipped, "We also have matters of business to address."

"We'd be delighted," Kagome answered cheerily, "I have some things to discuss with Rin as well."

"Do you now?" Inuyasha asked slyly, "Want to tell me _what_?"

"Um, so...you remember that nice boy who was courting Eri?" Kagome asked tentatively, noting Inuyasha's growl and the ways his eyes flashed, "So...um, he _proposed_ this morning

" _ **WHAT**_?!" Inuyasha barked out angrily, "Oh I am going to _kill_ that fucking wolf!"

"This Sesshomaru gave him the pack's blessing," the daiyoukai smirked, "As alpha it is my right to address not yours."

Inuyasha bolted to his feet as he snarled angrily and pointed an accusatory finger at his brother, "Fuck you!"

He turned to Kagome, "Fuck you for not telling me and springing it on me!"

And he turned towards the door and made to storm out, "And fuck that son of a bitch that thinks he can get away with this shit."

As Inuyasha stormed out and slammed the door behind him, Kagome snorted and pulled out her phone.

"Hey, just letting you know he's heading your way. Good luck," Kagome giggled into the phone.

 **XXXXXXXXX**

Inuyasha damn near broke the door as he entered the apartment and glared at the scared looking wolf sitting on the couch. Gulping nervously he stared up at his future father in law and waited for the axe to fall.

"You asked her to _marry_ you?!" Inuyasha bellowed angrily, " _Without_ asking me _first_?!"

Nodding the young wolf grimaced as he took a deep breath and responded weakly, "I was trying to follow inuyoukai custom. I didn't..."

"Well I'm half human and so is she," the hanyou snarled, "You needed to have considered that."

"I'm sorry," the boy whimpered as he indicated his submission before adding lamely, "Can...may I marry your daughter?"

" _Fuck_ yeah," Inuyasha answered with a boisterous laugh- anger melting away instantly as he embraced the totally bewildered boy, "You better treat her right though or I'll kill you, have Sesshomaru bring you back, then let your dad have a turn."

"You were...but...wait _what_?" the boy spluttered, "You're...you're not _mad?!"_

"Hell yeah I'm _mad_!" Inuyasha snorted as he held the boy out, "I'm the alpha of _my_ family. You needed to ask _me_ not that bastard but you've done it now so I'll get over it. Welcome to the family."

The boy nodded weakly - still looking like he may pass out at any moment - as he gave his future father in law a shy grin, "Okay then."

"Now you and Eri are coming to dinner tonight," Inuyasha ordered, "We've got an engagement party to plan."

 **XXXXXXXXX**

A year to the day Naraku was defeated and the Sacred Jewel was banished from the world. The final time Kagome passed through the well, Inuyasha and Kagome arrived at her family's home to explain what occurred afterwards and to invite them to their youngest daughter's wedding occurring the following weekend. All in all things worked out as it should. As it turned out, the Sacred Jewel would only vanish with the one true and correct wish for it to disappear. As a final gift of gratitude, all the humans involved in its banishment and their descendants were granted an extension of life. It varied depending on the individual and their needs of course. Rin matched Sesshomaru whereas Kagome, Sango, Miroku and the rest matched Inuyasha. The strangest of these transformations were that of Kikyo and Kaede. One brought to life, the other made young. As they gained spouses and children, their pack grew and grew. When Rin took her rightful place as Lady of the West, their packs combined as humans began overwhelming demons right and left. Everything worked out as it should have.

Now, you may be asking, what of those figures? Where do they come in? Ah, not three months after the events I have relayed to you, those demons challenged our group during the night of a lunar eclipse. Caught off guard, the group had an awkward start but they were defeated soundly. Their bodies - however - vanished without a trace before the Inutaichi's very eyes to wherever they would remain for the next five hundred years.

 **XXXXXXXXX** ** _Fin_** **XXXXXXXXX**

 **A/N: Happy Halloween!**


End file.
